Machine for removing tin foil from bottles



Aug. 16, 1932.

E. ERMOLD" MACHINE FOR REMOVING TIN FOIL FROM BOTTLES Filed Jan. 31, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 13 7772016! .A. X B

Edward Aug. 16, 1932. 5;. ERMQLD MACHINE FOR REMOVING TIN FOIL FROM BOTTLES Filed Jan. 51, 1951 3 sheets sheet 2 NVENTOR M ATTORNEY Aug. 16, 1932. E. ERMOLD 1,871,678

MACHINE FOR REMOVING TIN FOIL FROM BOTTLES Filed Jan. 31. 1951 s Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR [I'd ward 177772012! u KW M4 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 16, 1932 Mar an ST -res PATENT; oFFic EDWARD ERMCLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR REMOVING TIN rorL rnoM BOTTLES Application 'filed January 31, 1931. Seria1 No. 51 2,714.

Thisinvention relates to a machine for removing tin foil from bottles, and has for its general object and purpose to provide a S1111- ple constructed and inexpensive machine for this purpose whereby the bottler may quickly and thoroughly remove the foil from the empty returned bottles before the bottles are and is therefore, not removable merely bythe action of the caustic solution in the usual soaking machines. After the bottle has been operated upon by the machine as described in this application, a single soaking in the caustic solution is sufficient to insure the complete removal of every particle of foil, thus greatly reducing the time heretofore consumed in afiecting such removal.

. It is a more particular object of my prescut invention to provide a machine of the above character embodying revoluble foil cut ting elements and means for centering the bottle neck with respect thereto, together with means whereby said elements may be properly adjustedto cut or remove the tin foil without seriously scratching the glass surface of the bottle to such extent as would prevent the proper application of new foil thereto.

provide the foil cutting elements arranged in a plurality of groups for. rotation about a common center, the individual elements consisting of a length of resilient wire, and

means for tensioning said wire elements and adjustably positioning the same at one of their ends for cutting-engagement with the tin foil. 7 V

l/Vith the above and other objectsin view,

the invention consists in'the improvedma- It is a further object of the invention to chine for removing tin foil from bottles, and

in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequent- 1y incorporated'in the subj oined claims.

In the drawings, whereinl'have disclosed one s'impleand practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate. corresponding parts throughout the several views,

' Figure 1 is a front endelevation of a tin foil removing machine illustrating one prac- .tical embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation, certain of the parts belng shown 1n section;

- Fig. 3 is a top plan view, and.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

For purposes of illustration and in the accompanying drawingsfl have shown the machine frame 5 fixed to a suitable base indicated at 6, which if desired, may be in turn mounted upon a supporting stand. In suitav ble bearings 7 provided upon the upper end of the frame ,5, the shaft 8 is rotatably mounted and has a gear 9 fixed to one end thereof meshing with a gear 10 secured to one end of the shaft of a suitable electric motor 11. Thegears 9 and 10 may be enclosed by a suitable housing member 12 fixed upon the machine frame, said housing member support 'ing the control switch 13 forthe motor 11. It will of course, be understood that the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts above described as shown in the drawings ismerely suggestive, and various other drive means for the shaft 8 might be substituted if desired. 1

Between the bearings 7 a suitable hand wheel 14 is fixed upon theshaft 8 and to the forward end of this shaft a'carrying head 15 for the tin foil cutting or removing elements is fixed by any suitable means. ,As herein 4 shown, this head consists of a metal plate or disc of the required diameter which is providedat diametrically opposite points with radially disposedslots' 16 opening upon the periphery of saidplate. These slots receive v the squared end portions 18-of the rods 17,

rality of spaced peripheral grooves fora purpose which will-behereinafter explained. In spaced relation to each of the rods 17, a

similar rod or pin 26 is fixed at one of its ends to thzedisc 15 by means of the nuts indicated at 2 r In inwardly spaced relation from each rod 26, a similar rod or pin 29 is adjustably fixed at one, end to the disc 15 by nuts 30. These rods are equi-distantly spaced on opposite sides of the center of the disc 15 and are likewise provided with spaced peripheral grooves as indicated at 31. The rods 29 are mounted upon the disc 15 .in a similar manner to the rod 17 for movement in the slots 32. These rods may be adjusted in relatively opposite 7 directions by means of theiscrews 33 threaded in the lugs 34 projecting from .the faceof the disc 15 and having bearing engagement upon saidrods.

The tin foil cutting elements are arranged in two groups, the individual elements ofeach group being in the form of resilient steel wires 35 of suitable length, each wire having a coil 36 formed thereinintermediateof its ends which loosely surrounds a reduced part of one of the pins or rods 26. One end of this wire is urged by saidcoiil into one of the grooves 23 at the inner side of one rod 17. The other end portion of each; wire extends inwardly from the coil 36 and is en aged in one of the grooves 31 of one of theadjustable rods 29. It will be notedthatthe wireelemerits 35 in one group are disposed in staggered relation to the wire elements composing the other group, or in vertical planes intermediate of the planes of' thelatterwire elements. By adjusting the rods 17 and 29, it will be readily understood that-the coilportions 36.0f. the wire elements in each group may be tensioned, the adjustable rodsl29 p0- sitioning theinner ends of the wires with respect to the axis of theshaftS and disc. 15.

It will be apparent thatthe pressure of the ends of the wires upon bottle necks of varyingdiameters maybe so regulated, as to avoid scratching of the glass surface while cleanly stripping or removing the'tin foiltherefrom.

One end of a guideaspindle 37 isifixed in any suitable manner to the end of the shaft .8 and projects in coaxial relation to said shaft. forwardly between, the spacedv groups.

of elements 35. e To the machine frame5. below the disc15a laterally extending arm 38 is bolted or otherwise fixed at one of its ends. The forward end of this arm is provided with suitable guide meansindicated at 39 for a Vertically adj ustable standard 40 upon the upper end of which a horizontally disposed bottle rest or support 41 ofV-shaped cross sectional form, is

securly fixed or integrally 'formed therewith.

The standard 40 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 42 therethrough to removably receive the pin 43 whereby the standard is retained in its vertically adjusted position on the-arm 38. Thus,when the bottle indicated at B is arranged upon the support or rest 41 it"will be in axial alignment with the .guidespindle 37 so'thatxwhen the bottle is shiftedhorizontally upon the support. to dispose its neck portion having the tin foil thereon between the inner ends of the two groups of cutting elements 35, said spindle will be received within theopen end of the bottle. The bottle neck is thereby properly centered with relation to the rotatable groups of cutting elements and the particles of tin foil are prevented from entering-the open end of the bottle neck.

Preferably, in order to prevent the particles of tin foil from being widely. scattered,

I provide the shield orhood plate 44 of substantially semi-circular form, the end portions ofwhich extend downwardly at opposite sides of the disc 15, while the central portion thereof is securely fixed at-its rear edge by the bolts or screws 45 to the curved flange 47 formed on the bracket member 46 which is suitably secured to one of the shaft bearings 7 and projects upwardly therefrom. To the front edge of the shield 44 at the upper side thereof, a flanged cover plate 48 is hinged as indicated at 49.. This. cover plate, whenv in the full line position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, largely conceals the upper part of the disc 15 and the rotating'gronps of cutting elements 35 and. extend sufliciently close to the neck of the bottlein order to largely prevent the particles of tin foil from being thrown forwardly, said cover plate together with the shield 34 thus causing practically all of the particles of tin foil to fall directly downwardly from the rotating head so that they may be received in a suitable collecting receptacle. V V r From the above description, the operation of the machine will be readily understood. Thuswhen the bottle neck having'the tin foil thereon is positioned upon the centering spindle 37, the inner ends of the resilient cutting cutting elements, owing to their staggered arrangement, will clearly cut or strip all of the tin foil from the neck of the bottle. Since the cutter head is rotated at high speed, this operation is very quickly performed, and it is necessary that the neck of the bottle remain in position upon the guide spindle 37 only for a few moments. The bottle is then withdrawn, and immersed in the soaking bath of caustic solution, from which it is removed in a thoroughly sanitary condition. It has been found, in the operation of my invention that not only is the old tin foil clearly and thoroughly remove-d from the bottle neck, but by reason of the adjusting means provided for the resilient cutting elements, the surface of the bottle neck will not be scratched or scarred so as to interfere with the proper application of new tin foil thereon. Thus, after the bottle has been refilled, the new tin foil can be readily applied by machines now in general use for this purpose. V

In the accompanying drawings, and in the foregoing description, I have disclosed a practical embodiment of my present invention, which has been found highly efficient and serviceable in actual use. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the essential features of my present improvements might also be accomplished in various other alternative structural forms and arrangements of the several cooperating elements, and I therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a machine for removing tin foil from bottles, a rotary member, means for positioning a bottle neck in co-axial relation to said member at one side thereof, a plurality of resiliently yieldable closely spaced wires mounted on said rotary member and having yieldable end portions positioned relative to the axis of said member to extend in substantially tangential relation to the periphery of the bottle neck, and adjustable stop means for said resilient wires mounted on the rotary member and whereby the bottle neck engaging ends of said wires may be adjustably positioned relative to the axis of rotation of said member.

2. In a machine for removing tin foil from bottles, a rotary member, a plurality of resiliently yieldable wires mounted upon one side of said member in closely spaced apart relation axially of said member, and adjustable stop means mounted upon said member having means for maintaining said wires in such spaced apart relation, and whereby said wires at one of their ends may be adjustably positioned in radially spaced relation to the axis of said member and in substantially'tangential relation to the periphery of a bottle neck disposed in co-axial relation to said member and engaged with the ends of said wires.

3. I11 a machine for removing tin foil from bottles, a rotary member, a plurality of resiliently yieldable wires arranged in closely spaced relation axially of said member at one side thereof, each of saidwires having a coil intermediate of its ends, supporting means on said member engaged with said coils, the opposite end portions of the wires extending from said coils in diverging relation to each other, and independently adjustable bearing members mounted on said rotary member and engaging said opposite end portions of the wires whereby the tension of the wire coils may be regulated and said wires at one of their ends positioned in radially spaced relation to the axis of said rotary member and in substantially tangential relation to the periphery of a bottle neck disposed in coaxial relation to said member and engaged with said ends of the wires.

4. Means for removing tin foil from bottles including a rotary cutter head, resiliently yieldable cutting elements, spaced apart axially of the cutter head and each having an intermediate coil therein, a support projecting from one side of'the cutter head in spaced parallel relation to the axis thereof and upon which said coils are mounted, said elements having end portions extending inwardly from the coils and terminating in radially spaced relation to the axis of the cutter head, means for maintaining said elements in spaced apart relation, and

means for adjusting the latter means to ten-' sion said coils, and means for supporting a bottle with its neck in co-axially centered relation with the axis of the cutter head for effective engagement of said cutting elements with the tin foil thereon.

5. Means for removing tin foilfrom bottles including a rotary cutter head, two groups of cutting elements mounted on one side of said cutter head one on each side of its axis of rotation, the elements in each group consisting of resiliently yieldable wires having coils intermediate of their ends, an adjustable tensio-ning member extending across one end portion of each group of cutting elements and slidably mounted on the cutter head, each of said members haviia ing peripheral grooves to receive said end portions of the individual cutting elements and maintainthe same in spaced apart relation axially of the cutter head, means for adjusting said member to tension the coils of thercutting elements, additional means adjustably mounted on the cutter head and engaging the other end portion of each group of cutting elements to position the inner ends of said elements in radially spaced relation to the axis of rotation of the cutter head, and a centering spindle hereto.

4 amaze projecting in axial relation Fto the cutter head between 'said groups of cutting-elements and adapted to be received Within the'open end'of a bottle neck to support-the same in co-axially centered relation to the cutter head and for effective engagement of the inner ends of the cutting elements with the tin foil thereon. r I j In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name EDWARD ERMOLD; 

